Trash Dögs

It just doesn’t happen like this anymore…

Three carefree lads cross paths in Hollywood. All of the ensuing bar brawls, bedbugs, strange odors, and dysfunctionality rile them up to hone airtight songcraft, play fretboard-burning riffs, and chant anthemic hooks. Born from the gutter, yet meant for arenas, it’s the kind of hard rock we need, but don’t get enough of. It’s what Trash Dögs do best. The Los Angeles trio—Gabriel Glenn [vocals], Derek Berg [guitar], and Dallas Blake [drums]—dole out sinewy sidewinder solos and snarling choruses with unbridled attitude on their independent self-titled debut, Trash Dögs.

The story started quite literally on the streets of Hollywood. After bouncing around the country in a van with his trusty Pitbull-Mastiff-Mutt Fred, Gabriel returned to his hometown of Los Angeles and busked on corners, picking up enough loot “for gas, booze, and dog food.”

One afternoon, he belted out Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” loud enough for a local “vagrant skateboarder” named Logan. He immediately approached and implored Gabriel to sing for his buddies Trash Dögs who needed a vocalist for a “show on Friday at the Whisky.”

“Which was a complete lie,” confesses Derek.

After a few Instagram DMs, Gabriel found himself in a rehearsal spot with the band. One more Zeppelin cover later, the lineup solidified. Countless gigs at legendary spots around town such as The Viper Room, The Whisky, and King Eddy followed as the trio became a mainstay at the infamous Rainbow Bar & Grill, doubling as a de facto “house band.”

That almost derailed once or twice though…

“Oh you know, there were fights in the middle of Sunset Boulevard or some dude’s ex-girlfriend attacking us with keys,” laughs Gabriel. “One of the waitresses complained about how we smelled, so management was like, ‘We’d love to have you guys back, but you have to promise us you’ll bathe first’.”

They eventually caught the attention of producer Rocco Guarino who hopped behind the board for Trash Dögs. The guys cut eleven tracks during sessions at Fonogenic Studios in Van Nuys, Sunset Sound in Hollywood, and out of a secluded studio in West Lafayette, IN.

“We like AC/DC and Black Sabbath, but we’re also into bands like ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice In Chains, and Megadeth” Gabriel goes on. “We’re always writing and rehearsing. We’ve stayed focused on the creative side as much as possible, because Hollywood can be abysmal if you get wrapped up in it.”

Trash Dögs kick open the doors with the single “Like I’ll Change.” Howling vocals coast over a tide of distortion before a sweeping refrain, “It’s not like I’m gonna change.”

Meanwhile, “Fox City” pushes into overdrive with a mean groove as it sends “a love song to the city and every woman who sunk her claws into us.” They twist up Jimi Hendrix’s take on “Hey Joe” with a metallic edge, while “Golden Fields” pays a melancholic homage to Chris Cornell and “a recent ex” with its introspective lyrics.

In the end, Trash Dögs take all of that vinegar and fire and set rock ‘n’ roll ablaze.

“Nobody is carrying the torch anymore, so somebody’s got to do it, and it might as well be us,” Gabriel leaves off. “We don’t take a day off from this mission. We’re going to do it until our knuckles bleed.”